Added To The 40-Man Roster: Arano, Moya

The Phillies will add not only Henderson Alvarez to the 40-man roster — as was reported yesterday — but also right-hander Victor Arano, according to CSN Philly’s Jim Salisbury (Twitter link). The hard-throwing 22-year-old, who ranks 27th on MLB.com’s list of the Phillies’ top 30 prospects, spent the season pitching against older competition with Double-A Reading and posted a 4.19 ERA with 8.8 K/9, 2.6 BB/9 and a 38.9 percent ground-ball rate. MLB.com’s Jim Callis and Jonathan Mayo note in their free report on him that a move to the bullpen in 2017 and a focus on his slider as his primary breaking pitch have both allowed Arano’s stuff to play up in the bullpen. Arano needed to be added to the 40-man this winter anyhow in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft, so the Phils will add him a bit earlier and take a few looks at him against MLB pitching down the stretch. He opened the year with an arm injury — reportedly a sprained UCL — but made his way back to toss 38 2/3 innings this season.

The Twins look set to add lefty reliever Gabriel Moya to their 40-man roster. Venezuelan journalist Dessiree Castro tweeted that Moya was promoted to the Majors, and Moya’s former pitching coach in the D-backs’ minor league system did the same. Moya rated at the back-end of the Twins’ top 30 at MLB.com before the trades of Jaime Garcia and Brandon Kintzler added a couple of new names to that list. The 22-year-old has posted video-game numbers in Double-A this year, working to a combined 0.77 ERA with 13.4 K/9 against 2.3 BB/9 with a ground-ball rate of about 41 percent through 58 1/3 innings. Acquired from Arizona in late July for catcher John Ryan Murphy, Moya would have been added to the 40-man this winter as well, so this move will just give Minnesota an earlier chance to evaluate him for a future role.

While the Phillies are promoting talented youngsters to the big leagues getting their feet wet, the SF Giants are trotting out a 900lb over-the-hill Panda who can’t field, nor hit his way out of wet paper bag. Just to put in perspective the direction these clubs are heading. Phils are smart. They’re laying the groundwork for the future. Giants on the other hand? CLUELESS!!!

They said even during the College World Series; a Pitcher (I Think Florida) who was a Sophomore, was Already the Consensus 1st Pick in the 2018 Draft. With the Spending Allotment being Capped for How much each team can Spend the First 10 Rounds in the Draft; Having the First Pick dies not necessarily mean you Have BEST Player to Take, but Like Moniak for Phillies; there was No Absolute Hands Down First Pick that was Clearly Above Everyone Else; Plus You Negotiate With Picks so that You Can Sign Below Slot so you have Money to sign a Better 2nd and 3rd Rd.Guy. Monicker was Picked because He Signed Under slit and they Had Money to take a Better Prospect.